Glen Street Theatre staff are delighted to welcome new director, Rob Robertson to their team. Rob is a highly experienced theatre administrator, having worked in major venues in London, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide throughout his 30 year career.
Rob Robertson was born and educated in Melbourne graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education from Monash University. In 1976 he joined the technical staff at the Australian Opera in Sydney before continuing post-graduate studies in London. Rob was one of two foreign students invited to join the post-graduate Diploma in Arts and Leisure Administration at the Polytechnic of Central London where he graduated with distinction. Secondments during his course were to many of the major English drama and opera companies including Sadlers Wells Theatre, The Royal Opera House, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The English National Opera, London Festival Ballet and Queens Theatre.
In 1979 Rob returned to the Australian Opera before moving to Brisbane in 1980, firstly as Administration of La Boite Theatre, then as Technical Administrator for the Commonwealth Games Arts Festival of 1982 in Brisbane. In 1983 Rob became the Technical Director for the Victoria State Opera and during his years with the company he was responsible for staging many landmark productions, including La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, Samson and Delilah, and the national tours of Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, Anything Goes, My Fair Lady, Carmen, and the Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras Concert Tours. In 1991 he was appointed Deputy General Manager of the Victoria State Opera where he continued to oversee entrepreneurial special projects such as concert tours with Kiri Te Kawana and Anthony Warlow.
In 1995 Rob became General Manager of the Princess Theatre Group, managing three world-class heritage theatre buildings in Melbourne: The Princess Theatre, the Old State Theatre and the Regent Theatre.
In 1999 Rob accepted the position of Director, Venue Operations and Services of the Adelaide Festival Centre where he worked for eight years. Responsibilities in this position included both Front of House and Backstage Operations - together with Management of the Bass Ticketing, the AFCT Scenery Workshops and Catering contracts at the Centre.
Rob joins Glen Street Theatre at a very exciting time. Glen Street Theatre recently applied and received funding from ArtsNSW under their capital works program, to replace the seats and carpet in the Main Auditorium and Foyer. Warringah Council has also supported this project which includes extension and repairs to the existing hearing loop, hand rails on the side walls of the auditorium, repainting of the walls and ceiling and new wheelchair accessible seating areas. This project aims to provide a more comfortable and attractive venue for patrons and increased accessibility to patrons with special needs.
